"For instance, he disclosed, as the cost of DNA sequencing has declined fast, AI can be applied in this aspect to bolster the development of personalized medicine."

Cost-conscious startups to succeed amid explosive AI growth, says Propel(x) founderBryan Chuang, Taipei; Willis Ke, DIGITIMES [Thursday 7 September 2017]Thanks to drastic advancement in the performance of computers and processors, the application of AI (artificial intelligence) technologies will surely witness explosive growths in the next few years, as AI can be used to process and analyze huge data, which failed to be done in the past, and applied to wide variety of fields, including electricity transmission grid systems, banking, military defense, retail and personalized medicine, among others, according Swati Chaturvedi, founder of Propel(x), a venture capital firm based in the Silicon Valley

Chaturvedi made the statement when speaking at a seminar held alongside the Taiwan Automation Intelligence and Robot Show that opened on September 6 for a four-day run at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.

Chaturvedi said the market demand for AI sensors will be very huge in the future, adding that any startup that can manage to reduce the production cost of sensors will be a good investment target for venture capitalists. In this regard, he continued, AI will enjoy unlimited potential for application to wearable devices or odor sensors.

At the moment, Chaturvedi said, venture capital firms in Silicon Valley pin high hope on AI startups, and their only consideration in gauging whether a startup boasts good future values and explosive growth potential is whether the startup can lower the costs of the products or services it is engaged in. He continued that there are some industries witnessing rapid cost reduction, attracting the attention of venture capital firms. For instance, he disclosed, as the cost of DNA sequencing has declined fast, AI can be applied in this aspect to bolster the development of personalized medicine.

While Tesla is aggressively moving to develop low-cost power storage systems, venture capitalists in Silicon Valley are also watching closely the development of Positron Dynamics, a startup that is exploring the feasibility of using smal amounts of fuel to launch satellites into the space, according to Chaturvedi.